Maersk Line Launches Ecuador-Europe Service

Maersk Line is launching a direct service connecting Ecuador with Spain, Turkey and the Black Sea in late September, as it targets Latin America banana exports to European and Russian markets.

The weekly ECUMED service will deploy eight ships with capacities of 2,500 20-foot equivalent units with the following rotation: Guayaquil-Balboa-Manzanillo-Algeciras-Izmit Korfezi-Ambarlie-Novorossiysk-Odessa-Ambarli-Izmit Korfezi-Algeciras-Balboa-Guayaquil.

“Investment in the new ECUMED services has been motivated by customers demand for reliable, fast and high-quality transportation of fruits, especially bananas,” said Anders Koksbang, the company’s vice president.

Maersk said ECUMED will be an “attractive” alternative to conventional reefer ships, which have traditionally served the market. It will be the first and fastest direct service between Ecuador and the Black Sea, Maersk said.

The first westbound call by the Nedlloyd Juliana will be from Algeciras, Spain, on September 25. The Maersk Nottingham will inaugurate the eastbound service from Guayaquil, Ecuador, on October 4.

-- Contact Bruce Barnard at brucebarnard47@hotmail.com.